Chrystal E. Williams
Mezzo Soprano
Chrystal E. Williams’s current and upcoming engagements include NEFERTITI Akhnaten LA Opera (cv), Het Concertgebouw Amsterdam, English National Opera, ROSINA Il Barbiere di Siviglia Lyric Opera of Kansas City, AURELIA BROWDER She Who Dared Chicago Opera Theatre, Miss Pinkerton Old Maid & The Thief Spoleto Festival, a return to the Metropolitan Opera for productions of Carmen and El Niño, and a world premiere by John Glover and Kelley Rourke Carnegie Hall with American Composers Orchestra.
Recent engagements include FRICKA Das Rheingold Birmingham Opera Company, Carmen (title role) Opera North, MAKETATEN Akhnaten Metropolitan Opera, CARLOTTA Die Schweigsame Frau Bard Summerscape, STEWARDESS Dove’s Flight Minnesota Opera, ELIZABETH KECKLEY/CORETTA SCOTT KING Glass’ Appomattox Washington National Opera, LINDA Weill’s Lost in the Stars Glimmerglass Festival, CHARLOTTE Werther Opera Delaware and Baltimore Concert Opera, ROSINA Il barbiere di Siviglia Sarasota Opera, and OLGA Eugene Onegin Northern Lights Music Festival. For the Birmingham Opera Company, she has also performed KATERINA Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, DIDO Dido and Aeneas and HANNAH Tippett’s The Ice Break under the direction of Graham Vick. She created the role of REBECCA PARKER Charlie Parker’s Yardbird with Opera Philadelphia and has since sung with numerous companies including Seattle Opera and Pittsburgh Opera.
As a concert soloist, Ms. Williams recently sang Dett’s The Ordering of Moses City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and made her Philadelphia Orchestra debut under Yannick Nézet- Séguin in Bach’s Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich, BWV 150. She has also recently performed with Cairo Symphony Orchestra (Egypt), Norrköping Symphony Orchestra (Sweden), Springfield Symphony, Boston Modern Orchestra Projects, Virginia Symphony, Lancaster Symphony Orchestra and New Jersey Master Chorale.
Ms. Williams co-created the duo Forrópera in 2016 with Brazilian composer and accordionist, Felipe Hostins. She was awarded the Classical Post’s Most Innovative Singer 2019, the Musical Fund Society Career Grant Award 2020, International Opera Awards 2020 (Young Singer Nominee), and The First Prize and Audience Choice Award winner at the Wilhelm Stenhammar International Music Competition in Sweden. Ms. Williams has also received awards from the Giargiari Bel Canto Competition, the Liederkranz Foundation, the New England Region Finals of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.
She is an alumna of the Academy of Vocal Arts and holds a Master of Music degree in Opera Performance from the Yale School of Music and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Voice Performance from Carnegie Mellon University.
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Management
Emma Ventris
Mobile: + 44 (0) 7780315176
Email: emma@atholestill.co.uk
Representation: Worldwide
"Highly-respected globetrotting mezzo-soprano Chrystal E. Williams sparkled as Rosina. Handled the butterfly melodies of “Contro Un Cor Che Accende Amore” beautifully and her turn in the scene’s comic ensemble had us all smiling."
By Stan Fairbank, Opera Wire
"I am of the opinion that American soprano, Chrystal E. Williams, another ON debutante, could settle on a successful international career based solely on her portrayal of Carmen. Her Act 1 Habañera, with its irreconcilable contradictions, radiates a mesmerising, yet mystifying allure, the Seguedilla an irresistible flirtatiousness. The less familiar scenes – the defiance when put under arrest, the heavy portents of death in the game of chance, the seductive dance with castanets – normally requiring a good deal more work for a singer to bring off, Miss Williams takes in her stride. Vocally, she found that elusive balancing point, pivoting softness with attack, a bright top range with a duskiness pervading her lower notes. She is dangerous. She is beautiful. She is fabulous."
Stage
"It’s a long way from the cliched Spain of Bizet’s original, although Chrystal E Williams, who gives a magnetic and beautifully sung performance in the title role, still gets to show off her castanet skills"
Bachtrack
"Beautifully conveying both facets of this operatic favourite is the American mezzo-soprano Chrystal E. Williams who packs the requisite emotional punch in arias such as the famous Habanera (you’ll know it, I promise)."
The Arts Desk
